Maintaining proper alignment can be a problem when welding a weldolet over an opening in a pipe. The weldolet must be centered over the opening, gapped an appropriate distance from the pipe and made plumb on both "X" and "Y" axes. When an operator attempts to accomplish this without the use of an alignment device, he has poor control over his equipment and inadvertent or poorly positioned arc strikes can damage the workpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,743 which issued to Williams in 1986 discloses a device for aligning a weldolet. The device includes a frame having vertical bars which clamp on either side of a pipe. Extendible guide members are located in a substantially horizontal orientation within slots in the bars. The guide members slide along the slots and can be locked in a desired vertical position. By extending the guide members, the guide members engage a weldolet to support it about either an X or Y axis. The weldolet is supported about the other X or Y axis by means of spacers which are intended to be removed after the weldolet has been tack welded.